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I bet the teacher wants to throat punch you right back. Here's a tough dose of your own medicine. The teacher didn't ask for you to sign up for their class. You are going to their class, they aren't coming to you. I'm sure they would be just as happy not having you in there as you would be to leave.
Most of the stuff you learn in school you will never need, but some of it you will. Since you haven't lived your life, how do you know what you will need or not need? If we went with your philosophy why have school at all? We could just all be hunter-gatherers and wouldn't need any formal education.
Notes on a test is pretty pointless. I did it a few times in high school and it just made me not really study so hard. You can see how it turned out for you since you are having such a hard time in Algebra 2. Maybe the teacher shouldn't have done it last year.
The only problem with philosophy is that it's not going to help you build a car or a house or save someone's life.
Here's a little food for thought - Though you may be convinced you don't need to learn certain subjects because "I'll never use it", the main idea behind school is to teach you to think. Wrap your brain around the subject and stop complaining. Shut off the computer, and the TV, and the XBox or Wii or whatever system you have. Open the book. Ask the teacher for help. Ask your parents to hire a tutor. Apparently your life has been easy thus far. Face the challenge and when you pass the exam, the sense of accomplishment will far outweigh anything you've ever felt. Good luck.
??? Algebra is probably one of, if not THE, most important subjects to learn. There is no aspect of adult life that does not involve a basic grasp of algebra, and there are very few, if any, jobs that pay a decent salary that do not require familiarity with algebra. Granted, you may not remember some of it, but knowing how to balance equations and such are necessary for life. The logic in algebra is essential.
The only math classes I ever got to use notes on was basic statistics. Upper level stats (i.e. econometrics) required memorization of everything for the tests. Suck it up and learn the material, period.
I'm taking algebra 2 and currently failing it. My ******* teacher won't let us use notes on the tests or even graphing calculators for some of the chapters. She keeps saying "I want you guys to actually learn this stuff."
I got an A in geometry last year, but that's only because we could use notes on the test. Grr, I really want to throat punch this teacher.
I know that I won't need about 90% of what I learn in school anyway. I've talked to plenty of people about it, high school grads, drop outs, and even college graduates. If only I was allowed to do online schooling; I'm so unhappy at public school.
You may not need to regularly solve those particular algebra problems in life, but you will need the ability to employ quite a bit of critical and quantitative reasoning in order to successfully perform a job that pays more than McDonald's - and you don't always get to use notes. You will also need the ability to learn quickly and put in disciplined, hard work on tasks, even when it isn't easy or fun. So buckle up and put in the time to study and learn the material. Your teacher is not the obstacle to your success; you are.
Yes, you most likely will use it. I am in a completely non-math related field, and I still use math every day.
As a member of management, I still have to create and follow budgets, and set measurable and quantifiable goals.
I'm on a diet and I'm doing math to figure out how many calories is in every thing that I eat, what my actual serving size is, etc.
Ditto the above posters that point out how necessary critical thinking is in the workplace.
Even though I went up to trigonometry in high school, I still had to take two semesters of math in college. I took the easiest ones offered...and did fine because I learned the material in high school.
When I decided to go to grad school, I had to take the GRE exam. Guess what - math is on it! Took a refresher course and did well enough to get in.
If you have any goals in life for yourself, I would take this more seriously. Seek tutoring assistance.
unless you are going into engineering or science you'll never use it. Even business people don't use it since they have software that does all the math and calculating for you (ie. quickbooks etc.)
of course we still teach math to everyone because we still use the fast food style of teaching (ie. EVERYONE needs to learn basically the same thing).
unless you are going into engineering or science you'll never use it. Even business people don't use it since they have software that does all the math and calculating for you (ie. quickbooks etc.)
of course we still teach math to everyone because we still use the fast food style of teaching (ie. EVERYONE needs to learn basically the same thing).
EVERYONE needs to learn how to think. There's no way around it. So go right ahead and delude yourself into believing that you don't have to bother learning subjects that are a bit difficult. Those subjects are the very ones that teach you what you need to learn to get along in life - concentration, perseverance, critical thinking.
America is dumbed down enough. Time to ENcourage students instead of DIScouraging them.
unless you are going into engineering or science you'll never use it. Even business people don't use it since they have software that does all the math and calculating for you (ie. quickbooks etc.)
of course we still teach math to everyone because we still use the fast food style of teaching (ie. EVERYONE needs to learn basically the same thing).
I'm in business. Yes, we have software, but there is no substitute for the ability to use your brain to think critically and interpret the data you are being given so that you can make decisions - ones that can be highly visible and critically affect your career. You best be smart and figure out how to make the right ones. Being educated in the underlying theories can help.
Are you willing to forgo having children until you are well-established in your professional life?
Find out what the requirements are for GED testing and home-schooling in your area. It's possible that you could finish your requirements and go on to a more relevant program at a community college. What is it that you want to do, anyway? How do you know for certain that you won't need a high school education?
I don't want kids, I don't like them.
I tried convincing my dad let let me do online schooling but he won't let me. He's very old fashioned like that. As if sitting in a room with 19 other kids of different mental capacities with a teacher teaching the class at state guidlines is the perfect way for me to get a good education at the pace and level that works best for me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CharlotteGal
I don't blame you; schools are NOT healthy places for most kids. (Some kids thrive there, schools can be vital to disadvantaged kids without home support)
What do your parents think about online schooling?
Contrary to what some folks here have said, I don't believe you're doomed to a life of failure if you blow off your algebra class. It IS important to look at your goals, though, and make choices that will help you reach them. It may be that you have to suck up and do this class to get where you want to go. More than likely not, though.
I LOVED algebra and all my math classes... but they haven't done anything to help me in the day to day life that I've chosen for myself. Loving those math classes didn't help me think any differently than I was already thinking; someone NOT thinking in a way that jibes with the way schools teach math won't learn to think that way in a math class, they'll just be frustrated and feel like a failure, when really, if they were allowed to do what makes them come alive, they'd thrive and find their niche.
We're radical unschoolers (and this thread is NOT the place to debate unschooling, so don't start), and my teenager is happy, free, and ready to face anything the world offers. I wish every teen unhappy in school could have that choice, and the necessary support to make it work.
My dad won't let me do online schooling, even though I think I'd do much better and be much happier.
Thanks for understanding where I'm coming from.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dorthy
I barely passed Algebra 2 and never used it again once the class was over. Not everyone is good at or needs to be good at math. What types of careers are you interested in once you are done with school? There are some where you will need math and there are some where it won't be as important. Do your parents not support your idea to do online schooling? It is a valid alternative.
I've thought about a lot of things to do career wise. Lately I've been thinking librarian. I've been my school's library assistant forever. I know the catalog program, I can check out books, I can assist people, and I even help pick out books to order sometimes. Doesn't seem like too difficult a job, honestly. What really sucks is that I have to get a college degree and then get a masters in library science, which I think is bull****. Why can't it just be a 2 year vocational type of thing? Why do I need 6 years of school just to be a librarian? I don't think I'm college material. Hell, I don't even want to go to college. I would be perfectly happy if I could just get some kind of library training. I LOVE to read, and being in a library all day handling books and helping people with them doesn't seem like a bad job at all. It sounds weird, but I actually get this kinda euphoric feeling whenever I walk into a library. I'm not totally against education, I'm just against me being forced to learn things that I don't want to.
Sorry for the rant.
No, my dad won't let me do online schooling.
Quote:
Originally Posted by killer2021
unless you are going into engineering or science you'll never use it. Even business people don't use it since they have software that does all the math and calculating for you (ie. quickbooks etc.)
of course we still teach math to everyone because we still use the fast food style of teaching (ie. EVERYONE needs to learn basically the same thing).
Really, what is the point of even testing if you get to use the notes?
Just because you don't think you'll need it, doesn't mean that's the truth.
If nothing else, look at the big picture: you don't get to cheat your way through life, so why should you get an easy out in school?
Suck it up. Everyone else did it and we survived.
I totally agree. If you allow students to use their notes and book, all you're testing is their ability to look things up.
What students need is the brain they grow while learning all this stuff. Seriosly, I can count on one hand the times I needed calculus past college but I can't count the times I've used the logic I learned in calculus. Education is about developing your ability to think not about learning only to do things you will use. Being exposed to many things makes you well rounded.
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I totally agree. If you allow students to use their notes and book, all you're testing is their ability to look things up. 
